2008-2009 Catalog - United States Air Force Academy

Birth Certificate or Proof of Citizenship.
You must use your name as it appears on your birth certificate on all official records unless the Admissions Office has received
legal evidence authorizing a name change. If you are adopted and claim eligibility in a nominating category through an adoptive
parent, you must submit a copy of the court order of adoption. Also, adoption proceedings must have begun before your 15th
birthday. You must submit proof of citizenship if you were foreign born or naturalized. U.S. citizenship is required unless you are
applying as an international student. For tax purposes, international students will obtain a valid social security account number
when they arrive.
travel expenses
Appointees will receive instructions concerning reimbursement for travel to the Academy. Travel allowances will be credited to
your personal checking account. If you refuse to take the Oath of Allegiance upon arrival at the Academy or are disqualified
for admission because of some fault of your own, you won't be entitled to any travel allowances.
service obligations
Before you take the Oath of Allegiance, you'll sign an agreement, with the consent of your parents or guardian if you are a
minor. This agreement states that you'll fulfill the following service obligations, which apply to all cadets except international
students.
• complete the course of instruction at the Academy (unless you are disenrolled by proper authority), and
• accept an appointment and serve as a commissioned officer in the Air Force for at least eight years after
graduation—five of which must be active duty, and the remainder can be served as inactive reserve. You become
eligible to request a separation from the Air Force after five years' service.
If you entered the Academy from the Regular or Reserve component of any service and are discharged from the Academy
before graduation, you'll normally return to former rank and branch of service to serve the rest of your obligation.
Graduates who enter pilot training incur a longer commitment when they've completed that training. The Air Force policy in
effect when you enter flight training determines the length of your commitment.
discharge policy
The policy requiring discharged cadets to serve in the Air Force may vary depending on manpower needs of the Department
of Defense. Air Force policy now states:
• fourth- and third-class cadets (freshman and sophomore) who are separated by the Academy or whose resignations
are accepted will ordinarily be completely relieved from all military duty-active or reserve.
• second- and first-class cadets (junior and senior) who are separated by the Academy or whose resignations are
accepted will normally incur a commitment for active-duty. Exceptions will be made for humanitarian reasons
and those few cases in which it is not in the best interest of the Air Force to call a cadet to active duty because
of physical disqualification, misconduct or demonstrated unsuitability for military service in an enlisted status. If
you incur a commitment, you'll normally transfer to the Air Force Reserve and serve on active duty as an enlisted
airman.
• second-class cadets who are disenrolled or resign on or after the first day of academics in the fall semester of the
second-class year will incur a two-year commitment for active-duty service. This commitment is three years for firstclass
cadets on or after the beginning of the first-class year academic semester. First-class cadets who complete the
entire academic program and then resign or refuse to accept a commission may be ordered to active duty for four
years as enlisted airmen.
• cadets who fail to complete any period of active duty may incur a liability to reimburse the U.S. government for an
appropriate proportion of the cost of their Academy education. The cost of an Academy education for the Class of
2007 was $403,353 per graduate.
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